FSA capture northeast province and take governor hostage

The Syrian rebels announce that they have both the Raqaa governor and the Baath Party secretary general in their possession.

The Syrian Free Army[2] announced early Tuesday the capture of Raqaa governor[3] and the Baath Party secretary general in the northeastern city that was overrun by opposition forces a day before.The opposition military council posted a video on YouTube showing rebel fighters gathered around two men, one of them was identified as Reqqa governor Hussein Jalali.Addressing the two two captives, one rebel man said: “We just want to get rid of the regime, which is being protected by Iranian and Russian warships[4].”Syrian opposition fighters captured the northeastern city of Raqqa on Monday and crowds toppled a statue of President Bashar al-Assad's father[5].The fall of Raqqa on the Euphrates River is considered to be significant development in the two-year-old revolt against Assad. The rebels do not claim to hold any other provincial capitals.Rebel fighters said loyalist forces were still dug in at the provincial airport 60 km (40 miles) from Raqqa and they remained a threat. A resident said that a Syrian military intelligence compound in the town was not in rebel hands but was surrounded by anti-Assad fighters.